Shaft for vehicles.



No. 887,786. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

S. G. GAY.

SHAFT FOR VEHICLES. APPLIOATION- FILED 3,111.11. 1907.

f 5 5 r f SIMEON G. GAY, OF OTTAWA, ILLINOIS.

SHAFT FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed January 11, 1907. Serial No. 351,821.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMEON G. GAY, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of Ottawa, in the county of Lasalle and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shafts forVehicles, of which the following is a clear, full, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to provide shafts for vehicles in which acomparatively light and economical metal construction is substituted forwood from one end to the other, and in which provision is made for theuse of either wood or metal cross-bars for connecting the thillstogether, whereby a stronger and more durable shaft is obtained, and theconstantly increasing cost, due to the use of Wood in the constructionof the same is avoided. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fullydescribed and as particularly-pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure l is a side view of the shafts constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the thillsof said shafts and a portion of the cross-bar thereof. Fig. 3 is a crosssection taken on dotted line 3, 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a cross sectiontaken on dotted line 4 4, Fin: l. Fig. 5 is a cross section taken ondotted line 5 5, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through theoint of the forward sweep and of the rear portion of the thill, taken ondotted line 6 6, Fig. 2, and drawn to a larger scale. Fig; 7 is alongitudinal horizontal section through the joint of the forward sweep,and of the rear portion of the thill, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 8 isa section similar to that shown in Fig. 3 of a modified construction ofmy invention.

In the drawings A represents the forward sweep of the thills of theshaft, extending from the forward end thereof to a point ust in front ofthe cross-bar B, and it is made of pressed steel, and formed into theshape of a tube with the longitudinal edges thereof broughtsubstantially together underneath the shaft, and, if desired, may bewelded or otherwise connected together. These forward sweeps of thethills are, prefer-ably,.

tapered from their rear to their forward ends, and are curved to conformto the customary shape of vehicle shafts now in use. The rear ends ofthese sweeps are fitted over the forwardly projecting extension c of thedownwardly curved rear-end portion O, of the thills, and are securedthereto by bolts a, a,

or otherwise. This extension c is, preferably,

tubular and is reduced in cross section to fit into the rear end of theforward sweeps A, and to provide a shoulder Z) against which the rearend edges of said sweeps can abut. Just at the rear of said extensions,the said rearend portion C` is provided with transverse stubs D, whichare of an inverted channel shape or tubular and provide sockets for theends d of the cross-bar B, which are secured in said stub by means ofbolts c, e, or otherwise. The cross-bar B is, preferably, made of wood,although if desired it may be made of tubular metal, and its endsentering stub D are reduced to provide a shoulder against which the endedges of the stub will abut.

As stated the forward extensions c of the rear ortion O of the thillsare, preferably, tubullar, but to the rear of the transverse wall f,separating said extensions from, and constituting part of the side-wallof the socket of the stub D, the said rear-end ortion, C, including thestub D, is, preferahly, made of an inverted channel-shape. To the rearof the stub D, the rear-end portion O of the thills are, preferably,tapered, particularly the downwardly curved portion of the same, andterminate in an eye G.

I prefer to make the forward sweep A of the thills of pressed steel, andto make the rear end portion, C, thereof, including the stub D and theforward extension c thereof of malleable iron or steel. If desired, afiller of wood, substantially as shown'in Fig. 8, may be inserted withinthe bore of and enveloped by the metal exterior of the swee A, and,likewise within the channel of the rear end extension C. In this latterevent the metal exterior may be made thinner and a lower grade of woodbe used than is now possible, and the result be stronger and moreeconomical than if made entirely of a superior quality of woodpossessing the same degree of strength and durability.

What I claim as new is 1. Vehicle shafts comprising thills having thesweep thereof from the front end to about the transverse connecting-barmade of tubular metal, and malleable metal rear end portions of aninverted channel-shape having forward tubular extensions to which saidsweeps are secured.

2. Vehicle shafts comprising thills having the rear end portions made ofmalleable metal shell and provided with transverse invertedchannel-shaped stubs, and forward tubular extensions in front of saidstubs, sweeps the rear ends of which are provided with sockets that fitover and are secured to said extensions, and a cross bar the ends ofwhich are inserted in and secured to said stubs.

3. Vehicle shafts comprising thills having the rear end portions made ofmalleable metal shell and provided with transverse invertedchannel-shaped stubs and forward tubular extensions in front of saidstubs, tubular metal sweeps the rear ends of which are secured to saidextensions, and a crossbar the ends of which are inserted in and securedto said stubs.

4. Vehicle shafts comprising thills formed of separate front and rearortions, the latter being cast in one integra piece of channelshapedmetal and provided with a transversely projecting socket, and alongitudinally extended stub, and said front portion comprising thillsthe sweeps of which are formed of tubular metal and secured to thestubsof said rear portion. f

5. Vehicle shafts comprising thills formed ofseparate front and rearportions, the latter being cast in one integra piece of channelshapedmetal and provided with a transversely projecting socket and alongitudinally extended stub and said front portion comprising thillsthe sweeps of which are formed of tubular metal and secured to the stubsof said rear portion, and a cross-bar the ends of which are inserted inand secured to said transverse sockets.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st dayof December, A. D., 1906.

SIMEON G. GAY. [n s] Witnesses:

G. BARNARD, K. J. SOHMID.

